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March 20, 2007
Researching like a college student
Recently a librarian posted to one of the lists I'm on, and I think she hit the nail right on the head
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Researching Like a College Student
In high school, you may have written at least one research paper. To
write the paper, you substantiated your position through reporting
evidence by authors who agreed with you. Your teacher probably had you
turn in the assignment in increments to help you plan your paper. In
college, writing papers will be a different experience.
Research is a quest; a researcher questions the information that came
before and responds to it. Research papers involve an inquiry on a
specific issue. You will not simply tell what others have said; instead,
you will give your standpoint with regard to the interpretation of text,
data, or events. You will seek useful disagreement on a subject and show
how your position is supported by experts as well as where others
interpreted the material differently. You may need to use primary
sources (and find out the difference between primary and secondary
sources). You will actively seek opposing viewpoints and consider these
alternative perspectives. As you consider the evidence, you should learn
to be open to rethinking your stance rather than simply digging in your
heels and sticking with your initial position.
Research is a process; a researcher gathers information, reviews it, and
then seeks to fill information gaps. You will use only scholarly,
peer-reviewed journals and books as resources, taking a variety of
sources and analyzing or synthesizing the material into an integrated
whole. Sometimes the most helpful part of an article will be the
bibliography, so make sure you read the works cited thoroughly and get
any useful sources. Not all sources will be available in SMU's
libraries, but if you start researching early enough then you can order
them through interlibrary loan. For most of your classes, you will be
responsible for planning your research/writing schedule. Remember that
research will usually take at least twice as much time as you think it
will so plan accordingly. As you progress through your academic career,
you will learn that the most convenient and familiar resources are not
necessarily the best choices. The best databases for an introductory
course will not be adequate for an upper-level seminar.
Research is difficult, but rewarding. Ask a librarian for help; we're
here for you.
Rebecca Eve Graff
Central University Libraries
User Education & Outreach
Southern Methodist University
regraff@smu.edu
Posted to for students by jez at March 20, 2007 02:21 PM